As the Gators advance on the March Madness court, officials have started making plans in Gainesville’s City Hall to both celebrate their victories and to ensure the safety of citizens.
Phil Mann, special adviser to the city manager, told the Gainesville City Commission that the city is planning a watch party at Bo Diddley Plaza for the Monday night championship game. First, the Gators will need to defeat Auburn at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
“Cause we’re assuming the Gators are going to win Saturday; that’s a foregone conclusion,” Mann said.
The last time Gators men’s basketball won the NCAA Tournament in 2007, Gainesville Police Lt. Corey Dahlem died while directing traffic after a drunk driver hit him.
The city has started releasing information on celebrating safely, including legal drinking, driving sober and respecting personal property. The city also reminded citizens that open burning is prohibited in the city and that pulling a fire alarm with no emergency present is illegal.
Mann said the streets around Bo Diddley Plaza would be closed for festivals that happen there. He added that University Avenue near campus would be closed, with GPD ready to secure the area in case of celebrations. A soft closure will happen at the intersection with 13th Street to allow trucks to get through.
Mann added that parking along University Avenue and Bo Diddley Plaza will be restricted to avoid damage to vehicles.
Commissioner Ed Book was a district commander for GPD when the 2007 championship occurred. He said at Thursday’s meeting that he had to pick up the wife and son of the killed GPD officer. He said he doesn’t want to see a repeat occurrence.
“If we lose one person on Monday night, then probably the entire event is a failure, regardless of whatever score outcome we have,” Book said.
Dahlem had served with GPD for 22 years. At 2:30 a.m., he was walking across University Avenue, which was closed to traffic, when a vehicle turned onto the road and hit him from behind.
The driver drove off before being boxed in by officers.
Dahlem died 19 hours later in the hospital, and the driver entered a guilty plea. The driver had a blood alcohol level triple the legal limit.
Ed Book is absolutely correct. Be prepared. The death of Corey Dahlem was a crime, unforgivable, so let’s not have something like that happen again. Be prepared.